Formula 1: Piastri tops Miami GP, extends championship lead as McLaren sweep podium

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Oscar Piastri dominated the Miami Grand Prix, securing his third consecutive victory and leading McLaren to a one-two finish. Piastri capitalized on Max Verstappen’s mistake to take the lead and controlled the race, while Lando Norris finished second. Verstappen struggled with braking issues, finishing fourth, and George Russell claimed the final podium spot as Ferrari faced internal team order issues.

Oscar Piastri continued his remarkable run of form with a commanding win at the Miami Grand Prix, securing his third consecutive Formula One victory and leading McLaren to a one-two finish on Sunday, reported AP. The Australian driver finished 4.6 seconds ahead of team-mate Lando Norris, as McLaren’s stellar performance underscored their growing dominance in the 2025 F1 season.

Piastri, who started fourth on the grid, made the race-defining move on lap 14 when he capitalised on a mistake by Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver, who had started on pole, locked up while defending the lead and ran wide, opening the door for the McLaren driver to take charge.

From there, Piastri never looked back. Despite a slightly tricky stint on the hard tyres, he controlled the pace with authority and brought home his fourth win in six races this season. With Norris finishing second and having won Saturday’s sprint race, McLaren walked away with maximum points from the Miami weekend. Piastri now leads the drivers’ championship by 16 points over Norris.

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Reflecting on the result, Piastri said, “Two years ago here we were the slowest team. I think we got lapped twice. Today, we won the race by 35 seconds. It’s incredible how far we’ve come.”

Norris, who mounted a challenge for second place after a spirited tussle with Verstappen, conceded that a small error cost him crucial time. He was forced to briefly return a position to the Dutchman after running off track during an earlier overtaking attempt. “It’s never the best feeling to be second, but Oscar drove really well. We were both up the road, so it’s still a great result for the team,” Norris said.

Verstappen’s frustrations were clear over team radio as he struggled with braking issues. “Brakes, man, honestly, useless,” he fumed after his off-track moment. The defending world champion couldn’t recover and finished a distant fourth, behind Mercedes’ George Russell, who took the final spot on the podium—37.6 seconds off the lead.

Russell admitted it hadn’t been the smoothest weekend for him, but was pleased with the outcome. “Really happy to come away with P3. The McLarens were just too far ahead.”

Meanwhile, Ferrari’s struggles continued. Charles Leclerc finished seventh, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who endured a frustrating outing in his debut season with the Italian outfit. Team orders added to the drama, with Hamilton voicing his displeasure over radio when asked to swap places with Leclerc.

“I lost a lot of time behind Charles. I was just asking for a clear decision to avoid wasting time. It came out sarcastic, but we’ll sort things internally,” Hamilton said post-race.

Ferrari’s woes didn’t end there. Carlos Sainz came under investigation for a late-race move that saw him clash wheels with Hamilton on the final corner in an aggressive overtaking attempt.

But the day belonged to McLaren—and to Oscar Piastri. With three wins in a row and a car that looks increasingly untouchable, the 23-year-old is emerging as the championship frontrunner in a season that’s starting to swing firmly in McLaren’s favour. (Inputs from AP).

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